The present invention relates to a communication system, an authentication communication device, a control apparatus, and a communication method, and is suitable for application to an electronic locking system of a non-contact type including a fingerprint identification unit, for example.
In most related-art systems for locking and unlocking a door of a building, a door of a vehicle or the like, the locking and unlocking is performed by inserting a metallic key into a metallic lock. However, in order to solve problems such as theft of a key, production of a duplicate key, so-called lock picking and the like, electronic locks using IC cards, input of personal identification numbers and the like have recently been spread.
However, a locking and unlocking system using such an electronic lock has a problem in that personal authentication of an owner of the key is not made because anyone can lock and unlock the door or the like as long as insertion of an IC card or input of a personal identification number is performed correctly.
In order to solve such a problem, locking and unlocking systems have been commercialized and realized which use an installation including a fingerprint identification unit as part of a lock in a door or the like so as to allow locking and unlocking only when a fingerprint matches the fingerprint of a preregistered valid user himself/herself.
However, since the fingerprint identification unit needs to be installed separately in each door or the like, it is difficult to spread the fingerprint identification unit, for example because a very large number of fingerprint identification units are required in facilities. In addition, there is a trouble of reconstructing the door or the like so that the door or the like has a structure adjusted according to an installing position of the fingerprint identification unit. Thus, the fingerprint identification unit still has a disadvantage in terms of practical use.
On the other hand, when the fingerprint identification unit is actually installed in the door or the like, an unrelated third party may play with the fingerprint identification unit to cause a breakage, a failure or the like of the fingerprint identification unit, and in practice, it is extremely difficult from a viewpoint of facility management to monitor all installation points at all times. In addition, when the fingerprint identification unit is exposed to the air, the fingerprint identification unit may become dirty with dust, rain and the like and break down. Thus, there is a trouble of attaching a special member for protecting the fingerprint identification unit from dust, water and the like.